POPUMC Hiking Group

The POPUMC Hiking Group was started in
January, 2018. We do day hikes the
first Saturday of each month along with New Years Day. The benefits of
hiking include:

Improvement in general health.

Meet new people.

See new places.

Below are over 80 suggested day hikes that are between 2 and 5
miles, roughly within an hour of POPUMC and are mostly easy to moderate in
terms of difficulty. We're open to suggestions and alternative hikes as well
as additional hike leaders. We'll also try to avoid areas where hunting is
allowed for safety's sake. If enough people are interested we can even do a
hike in the middle of the week. With the exception of New Years Day all
hikes will occur on the first Saturday of the month. We will meet at the
POPUMC parking lot at 8:00 AM (with the exception of New Years Day and any
Sunday rain dates being 1:00 PM) and carpool to a given hike. All are welcome
to join us on these hikes. (* = Georeferenced map of this hike available on
hikingproject.com).

Due to the Coronavirus Pandemic the upcoming June 7, 2020
hike has been cancelled. I'll talk about it more in the POPUMC Hiking Group
June, 2020 newsletter. If you want to subscribe to this monthly email
newsletter, please send me email requesting to get onto the list:
mikecalabrese@aol.com .

Lake Accotink Park, 7500 Accotink Park RD, Springfield, VA 22150,
703-569-3464. A very nice 3.8 mile hike around the lake. They will start
dredging the lake in 2021 but that should not affect this hike. Read about
that Here. Saturday, August 1, 2020 @
8:00 AM, Rain Date Sunday, August 2, 2020 @1:00 PM *

Claude Moore Park,
21544 Old Vestal's Gap Road, Sterling, VA 20164, 571-258-3700. About 10 miles
of trails in this park. We'll pick a nice loop for you. A 05-02-2018 article
on wtop.com stated that the
future of this park may be in peril after 12-21-2018. Saturday,
September 5th, 2020 @ 8:00 AM, Rain Date Sunday, September 6,
2020 @ 1:00PM

Hastings->Winters Branch->
Wellington Trail, 9501 Dean Park LA, Manassas, VA 20110, 703-257-8200.
This is a 3.8 mile loop trail that starts at the Giant/Wellington RD shopping
Center, then proceeds clockwise on Hastings DR 1.8 miles, Winters Branch for
.9 miles and then Wellington RD back to the Giant for 1.1 miles. Total
distance is 3.8 miles. Saturday, November 7, 2020 @ 8:00 AM

Prince William Forest Park, 18170 Park Entrance RD, Triangle, VA 22172,
703-221-7181. We will do a 5 mile loop consisting of:
A portion of the Laurel Loop Trail- about .5 miles,
A portion of the South Valley Trail- about .2 miles,
North Orenda RD- 1 mile,
A portion of Pyrite Mine RD- about .5 miles,
Cabin Branch Pyrite Mine Trail- .4 miles,
A portion of the North Valley Trail- about .7 miles,
A portion of the South Valley Trail- about 1.2 miles,
A portion of the Laurel Loop Trail- about .5 miles,
A total of about 5 miles.
New entrance fee of $10.00 per car to the park.
Saturday, December 5, 2020 @ 8:00 AM,
*

George Helwig Memorial Park, 14488 Bristow RD, Manassas, VA 20112, 703-792-7060. This one
is only a mile but since it will be cold, that will be sufficient. We could
do it twice to make 2 miles. Friday, January 1, 2021 @ 1:00 PM

Appalachian Trail,
799 Washington Street, Harpers Ferry, WV 25425, 304-535-6331. in Northern
Virginia, we'll start where the AT leaves SNP at Compton Gap, then hike all
downhill for about 4.5 miles. I've rated this one strenous because you have
to descend over Possum Rest. Click/Tap Here for a distance calculator. Saturday, March 6, 2021
@ 8:00 AM *

Neabsco Creek Boardwalk, Woodbridge, VA. This 1 mile boardwalk is part of the new Neabsco
Regional Park as well as part of the Potomac Herritage Trail It connects Rippon Lodge Park and Julie
Metz Wetlands. We'll probably do a 3 mile loop consisting of the boardwalk,
Blackburn RD, US1 and Neabsco RD. Saturday, June 5, 2021 @ 8:00 AM
, Rain Date Sunday, June 6, 2021 @ 1:00 PM01/01/2020 Trip Log of This Hike

Merrimac Farm WMA, 15014 Deepwood LA, Nokesville, VA 20181, 703-499-4954. Two 1 mile
trails here that form a nice hike. 301 acres. Each hiker will need either a
VA DGIF day pass, fishing, hunting or trapping license to get in. I may be
able to get us a group pass for this one.
Click/Tap Here for
more info. Saturday, July 3, 2021 @ 8:00 AM, Rain Date
Sunday, July 4, 2021 @ 1:00 PM

Cub Run Stream Valley Trail
12055 Government Center PKWY, Fairfax, VA 22035, 703-324-8702. A 3.1 mile
linear hike between Compton RD just W of the I66 and Sully Park DR near Deer
Pond RD. We will hike the Cub Run South and Cub Run East Trails. There are
still other trails in this area for future hikes.
Saturday, September 4, 2021 @ 8:00 AM
, Rain Date Sunday, September 5, 2021 @ 1:00 PM02/05/2019 Recon of This Trail

Laurel Hill Park, 8320 Laurel
Crest DR, Lorton, VA 22079, 703-324-8702. On the site of the former DC Prison
at Lorton, this park has open meadows and numerous trails to hike. There is a
4.2 mile loop that we can conquer.
Saturday, December 4, 2021 @ 8:00 AM
*

Lake Ridge/Occoquan Greenway Trail, 14420 Bristow RD, Manassas, VA 20112, 703-792-7060. A
7 mile linear trail that goes from Lake Ridge Marina to the Town of
Occoquan, VA. We may do half of this one. Saturday, February 5, 2022 @ 8:00 AM

Ben Lomond Park, 7500 Ben Lomond Park DR, Manassas, VA 20109, 703-361-4451. 2 miles of
trails here. We can also take the trail further west along Bull Run under I66
and explore within Manassas National Battlefield. Saturday, March 5,
2022 @ 8:00 AM, Rain Date Sunday, March 6, 2022 @ 1:00 PM

Hemlock Overlook Regional Park, 12619 Yates Ford RD, Clifton, VA,
703-250-9124. We'll be doing a 3.8 mile loop that incorporates some of their
trails as well as the Bull Run Occoquan Trail. Note that this is a moderate
to difficult hike. Paradise Springs Winery is right across the
street. Saturday, August 6, 2022 @ 8:00 AM,
Rain Date Sunday, August 7, 2022 @ 1:00 PM.

Widewater State Park, 101 Widewater State Park RD,
Stafford, VA 22554, 540-288-1400. Virginia's newest state park (for now).
Only about 1 mile of trails there now but they are building another 2 mile
trail there. There may be more by the time that we get to this one.
Saturday, September 3, 2022 @ 8:00 AM, Rain Date Sunday,
September 4, 2022 @ 1:00 PM.

Holmes Run Trail,
Between Columbia PK, Baileys Crossroads, VA and Eisenhower AVE, Alexandria, VA.
This is a 4.2 mile linear 'urban' hike that goes through areas that some of us
grew up in. Saturday, September 2, 2023 @ 8:00 AM,
Rain Date Sunday, September 3, 2023 @ 1:00 PM

Four Mile Run / W&OD Trail Loop, Arlington,
VA. The Four Mile Run and W&OD Trails run on opposite sides of Four Mile
Run for a good stretch in Arlington, VA. We should be able to carve out a
4-5 mile loop along these 2 trails. Saturday, October 7, 2023 @
8:00 AM, Rain Date Sunday, October 8, 2023 @ 1:00 PM

Broad Run Trail, Bristow, VA 20136, 703-792-7060. This time we will do a 4.5 mile linear
hike that starts at the Hunting Cove CT cul-de-sac off of Linton Hall RD and
hike all the way to VA28 near Sowder Village SQ. This trail will eventually go
from Doves Landing Park to Rollins Ford RD near Vint Hill RD.
Saturday, November 4, 2023 @ 8:00 AM, Rain Date Sunday, November 5, 2023 @ 1:00 PM
02/02/2019 Trip Log of This Hike

Vint Hill Loop Trail, Kennedy RD, Warrenton, VA 22186.
I used to walk this 3 mile loop trail when I worked at Vint Hill. We could
stretch it to 5 miles if everyone agrees. Remnants of
the former military base are still present. Saturday, December 2, 2023 @ 8:00 AM, Rain Date Sunday, 3, 2023 @ 1:00 PM

Riverside Preserve, 8150 Leeds
Manor RD, Marshall, VA 20115. This preserve opened in early 2019 and is the
only public access to the Rappahannock River in Fauquier County, VA. More
info to follow. Saturday, May 4, 2024 @ 8:00 AM,
Rain Date Sunday, May 5, 2024 @ 1:00 PM 01/11/2020 Recon of This Park

Appalachian Trail, 799
Washington Street, Harpers Ferry, WV 25425, 304-535-6331. This one will be
either 6 or 8.2 miles depending on where we leave a vehicle. From US522 near
Front Royal, VA to either VA638 or VA55 near Linden, VA. This is a
strenous hike. Click/Tap Here
for a distance calculator. Saturday, February 1, 2025@ 8:00 AM,
*

Blooms Park, 9701 Manassas DR, Manassas, Park, VA 20111, 703335-8872. A former
golf course, this park was opened in September, 2019. About 3.53 miles of
asphalt trail. This is a moderate to strenous hike. Saturday, October 4,
2025 @ 8:00 AM, Rain Date Sunday, October 5, 2025 @ 1:00 PM
01/22/2020 Recon of This Hike

Whitney State Forest, Lees Ridge RD, Warrenton, VA 22186,
703-347-6358. Over 7 miles of trails. We can do a 3.5 mile loop here.
I will check the status of hunting in this park before we go. Located south
of Warrenton, VA. Saturday, November 1, 2025 @ 8:00 AM,
Rain Date Sunday, November 2, 2025 @ 1:00
PM * 10/05/2019 Trip Log of This Hike

Roosevelt Island, Potomac River, MD. About 3 miles of trails. I grew up
less than 10 miles from here but I never hiked here. Saturday, January
3, 2026 @ 8:00 AM, Rain Date Sunday, January 4, 2026 @ 1:00
PM *

Mount Vernon Trail, George Washington Memorial Parkway
c/o Turkey Run Park, McLean, VA 22101, 703-289-2500. This one is about 18
miles long. We can probably do a 7.4 mile linear hike from Belle Haven Park
to Mount Vernon if we stage a vehicle at each end. Or we can do a 6.8 mile up
and back from Fort Hunt Park. Or we could do a 3.4 mile one way hike from Fort
Hunt Park to Mount Vernon if we stage a vehicle at each end. Your choice.
Saturday, February 7, 2026 @ 8:00 AM, Rain Date Sunday,
February 8, 2026 @ 1:00 PM *

Washington & Old Dominion Railroad Trail, 21293 Smiths Switch RD,
Ashburn, VA 20147, 703-729-0596. 45 miles long from Arlington to
Purcellville, VA. We will do the westernmost 5.5 or 5.6 miles. We'll
need 2 vehicles for a one way hike here. Click/Tap Here for a Distance Calculator.
Saturday, October 3, 2026@ 8:00 AM *

Doves Landing Park, 9307
Doves LA, Manassas, VA 20112, 703-792-7060 .This one is about 3.2 miles and
is a large loop near the confluence of Broad Run and Cedar Run which then
becomes the Occoquan River. Saturday, November 7, 2026 @ 8:00 AM
, Rain Date Sunday, November 8, 2026 @ 1:00PM
02/03/2018 Trip Log of This Hike

Trail between Lake Ridge Park and PWC Government Center, VA. I heard about this one a few years ago. Then I
talked to someone recently and they told me about it. Then a third person
confirmed that is about 3 miles and it exists. So I will research and recon
this hike and, hopefully, we can do it as either an up and back or a shuttle
hike. More info to follow. Friday, January 1, 2027 @ 1:00 PM,

We will start at the top of the list and go down the list the first Saturday
of each month and new years day. Suggestions for additional hikes are welcome.
So if you are interested in doing any of these hikes and getting on a mailing
list announcing these hikes, please email me at
mikecalabrese@aol.com .

This schedule is subject to change. In case of inclement
weather (snow, thunder storms, heavy rain, temps below freezing for the high
or above 95 degrees)or other unusual situations, hikes are subject to
cancellation. Watch this space for announcements.